Bury Your Gays

by Chuck Tingle

From Chuck Tingle, author of the USA Today bestselling Camp Damascus, comes a new heart-pounding story about what it takes to succeed in a world that wants you dead.

Misha is a jaded scriptwriter who has been working in Hollywood for years, and has just been nominated for his first Oscar. But when he's pressured by his producers to kill off a gay character in the upcoming season finale―"for the algorithm"―Misha discovers that it's not that simple.

As he is haunted by his past, and past mistakes, Misha must risk everything to find a way to do what's right―before it's too late.

Genres: Horror, LGBT, Queer, Fiction, Audiobook, Thriller, Contemporary

295 pages, Hardcover

First published July 9, 2024

About the author

Chuck Tingle is a mysterious force of energy behind sunglasses and a pink mask. He is also an anonymous author of romance, horror, and fantasy. Chuck was born in Home of Truth, Utah, and now splits time between Billings, Montana and Los Angeles, California. Chuck writes to prove love is real, because love is the most important tool we have when resisting the endless cosmic void. Not everything people say about Chuck is true, but the important parts are.

Management and general inquiry: [email protected]

Literary agent: DongWon at dongwonsong.com

Reviews

[MagretFume · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!
Not only is this a fantastic horror story in its own right, with great elements of psychological terror and body horror, but it's also a layered tale of corporate greed and queer erasure. 
It takes a lot of talent to write seriously about such heavy matters while still being entertaining.

The few flashbacks of Misha, the main character, growing up and coming to terms with its sexuality were so perfectly written and so deeply touching.
The pacing was perfect and the story so engaging I had trouble putting it down. It has a lot of meta references but I found it adds to the point without being distracting. And the ending was so satisfying!

I listened to the audiobook version and the narrators were great, adding a lot to the emotion and terror of the characters. 
I highly recommend this book.

[rachel x]

so Misha huh

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting, creepy and clever but nobody got pounded in the butt once.

This was an immersive horror, cleverly juxtaposing elements of terror and gore with many societal injustices, holding up a mirror to issues like lgbtqia erasure, corporate greed and AI ethics. In a similar vein to the show ‘The Boys’ Tingle takes the reader on a journey to the extremes of these hot topics, pulling our emotions while terrorizing us with the ‘what if’s’. This was very well done, and the character development was on point. The supporting characters were well represented and the final culmination so satisfying and funny.

Doesn’t get full five stars because the middle could have been tighter and I needed better resolution on some of the MCs past trauma. But that’s a personal preference as I love a nice, tightly tied up ending.

Notes on the audiobook: this was very well narrated but 90% of it was single narrator so the huge cast of voice actors credited is a bit misleading. There are two short scenes featuring cinematic narration with multiple actors and sound effects but the remainder of the book did not include that. I think my expectations were set too high, but André Santana did a great job.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of this audiobook.

***************

Got the arc for this audiobook you could say I’m tingling with excitement. 😂

[Sydney Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a goood time with this one. Really great writing, surprisingly emotional, unsettling, bloody, heart-pumping, queer, FUN.

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5-stars**

Bury Your Gays is a novel that's perfectly-aligned with a new trend in my reading for 2024, and that is reading books set in, or revolving around, the television and movie industry.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked this up. I've heard great things about this author's 2023-release, Camp Damascus, but I've never actually read their work before. My final judgement = I need more Tingle!!!



In this story we are following Misha, a long-time Hollywood script writer who has just been nominated for his first Oscar.

It's as he is on the precipice of this great event that he gets called into a meeting with a studio executive and told that he needs to kill off two popular gay characters from his Travelers series. Misha is alarmed. He doesn't want to do that; not at all, but he's told if he doesn't he may be let go.

Thus, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows hit our MC pretty much simultaneously. His back is to the wall and he is struggling to make a decision. What is he going to do?



The synopsis doesn't really go into too much of the action here, therefore, I don't want to either. All I will say is that I was pleasantly surprised to discover this involves one of my favorite Horror tropes, and that's dark fictional characters coming to life and interacting with their creators.

I loved how Tingle decided to tell Misha's story. In the current timeline, we get to know a bit about his work and personal life, but we also get glimpses into Misha's past through sections aptly referred to as, Inspiration.

These Inspiration sections were among my favorites. It's there we learn the pivotal moments and people from Misha's life that helped to shape his writing. These sections felt intimate and had a lovely Coming of Age quality to them that I found incredibly captivating.



In addition to the fantastic character work and strong writing, I thoroughly enjoyed the social commentary and reflective exploration of issues within this novel.

In particular, I found it to be thought-provoking in the area of intellectual property rights, the power of creators and their rights to their work. I also enjoyed how Tingle touched upon the greed within the system, and the development and use of AI in writing and the arts.

You'll never think of the algorithm the same again...



I did listen to the audiobook and cannot recommend that format highly enough. It's a full cast audio with sound effects that truly help bring this crazy story to life!

I would recommend this to every Horror Reader, but particularly to Social Horror lovers, or those looking for strong Queer stories. Also, if you were a fan of The X-Files, something about this one just brought that to mind for me; maybe the light Sci-Fi concepts, or the villains...



Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. The audio production was chef's kiss!

This book is smart, original, engaging and eerie. I walk away with a full heart, looking forward to more from Tingle!

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book based on the media trope known as "bury your gays" sounds bleak and fatalistic but when it's written by an author who truly believes love can conquer all, we get a horror book that doesn't skimp on the terror and doubles down on hope.
who is this book for?
Readers who love...
-QUEER AF HORROR STORIES
-The importance of art and creation as authentic human expression
-The power of creators
-The power of love and friendship
-Books set in Hollywood and cracking the veneer--that fake glossy shine
-Fighting against corporate greed, capitalism, and AI
-Dual narratives/past and present
-A main character to fall in love with, Misha is so REAL
-Some genuinely creepy super villains--gave me X-Files vibes

[Chantaal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book is so much fun, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

Content warnings first: Homophobia, bullying, child abuse, violence, gore, body horror

If you don't know what Bury Your Gays is referring to, here's the TVTropes page about it. The book itself does well to explain the trope that is at the heart of it all, but I think having a background idea of just how prevalent the trope has been is good for going into this.

This story focuses on Misha Byrne, a Hollywood writer who came up writing horror movies and is currently wrapping up a season of a TV show where he's ready for his two main female leads to profess their love for each other. However, The Studio wants him to kill them off in the name of Ratings. Thus kicks off a weird, meta-filled, horrifying, gory odyssey as Misha grapples with his own identity in the face of absolute, all-encompassing, all-powerful capitalism. Oh, and it tackles the struggle of AI "art" as well. No big deal.

As a book that is full of meta-textual references to gay culture, there are references galore that are fun to pick out if you get them. There were also a few things I didn't totally get, and some sections of the story itself that I think were a little too meta for me and lost me for short periods of time. I feel like my husband, who loves horror films and writes screenplays, will probably get a lot more out of some parts of the meta horror & screenwriter elements when he finally reads this.

The character work of Misha was pretty great. We get flashbacks to some big parts of his past that inform the decisions he makes in the present, and he has two important relationships - a best friend and his boyfriend - that also ground him. I could have used a little bit more development of Tara and Zeke, though; I didn't feel deeply for them despite Misha's relationships and how those drive some of his actions later on.

I wish I could talk about more elements, but anything else I say would fall into the spoiler zone - or, at least, into the ruining some fun surprises zone. Misha is a compelling character to follow, and the journey he takes is fun and funny and horrifying all at once. The book satirizes so much about Hollywood while also exposing just how insanely awful it is at the same time.

Chuck Tingle has always had a lot to say about society through his work (YES, that includes his erotica). Camp Damascus explored one aspect of queer life in our world, and Bury Your Gays explores another. It feels like he's doing a lot of self-reflecting and expunging of his thoughts and feelings onto the page, and honestly I'm all here for it.

LOVE IS REAL, FRIENDS! HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!



(Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for providing an ARC for review!)

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

read for Patreon book club

oooh this was a really fun but also thought provoking horror!! really good for the book club discussion as it had lots of interesting symbolism and interesting elements! definitely made me want to read more chuck tingle in the future!!

[K.J. Charles]

Entertaining Hollywood queer horror, which starts delightfully with a man crushed by a piano, cartoon style. The build up is suitably sinister and the main characters endearing, with some excellent lines. It does, however, devolve into a rather heavy-handed metaphor about Al along with the theme of Hollywood queerwashing, such that at points I was reminded of how Monty Python used to put a big flashing SATIRE overlay on the screen.

Notwithstanding, it's good fun, with some properly spooky scenes, real heart, and some biting commentary and anyway nobody ever bought Chuck Tingle for subtlety.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
This was a good novel that explored the role of queer representation in horror media. I found the discussions surrounding this topic to nauced and well thought out.

As a horror novel, I did not find it conventionally scary but instead more of an important piece of social commentary.

If you are still looking for a queer horror book to pick up in Pride Month, this would be a good one to read.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Pisces51 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BURY YOUR GAYS [2024] By Chuck Tingle
My Review Five Stars*****

First, this Book Review is late because AI has apparently taken over my computer, but let me be honest and shame the Devil. It would in all likelihood have been late anyway. That has only happened in the past because I was soul-searching to allot the correct rating when my emotions were playing havoc with my sense of fair play. Not so here. Speaking only for myself, when the author hit his stride going into the second half of the book, I would have shot fireworks into the sky in addition to my announcement in my status update that it was a foregone conclusion the this was a Five Star Read.

The stars had to have aligned for me to read this remarkably well written tale of personal and professional tragedy, horror, heartbreak, redemption, and an incredibly powerful emotional ending that was so beautiful it made my toes tingle (or maybe I am just thinking about the author’s last name).

So, while back I joined a book club on line dedicated to horror named “Eerie Inklings” with the promise of “Queer Thrills + Chills”. I was not a member earlier in the year but had already read several books that were on the Moderator’s Approved Reading list. I was privy to have several exchanges with the Moderator Katelynn and I must say that she was so sweet and considerate to me as a newcomer who was not at all into the fantasy novels. That said Katelynn was actually posting guidelines for reading, progress, and interpretation on “Gideon the Ninth”. I have now read a few books on Katelynn’s list, and I really loved them. In any case, back to Chuck Tingle’s amazing novel “Bury Your Gays”. It was voted as the designated group book read for the month of August going into the month of September.

Some members were having a hard time getting copies to join in the discussion. I was unaware that “Bury Your Gays” was one of the most hotly anticipated horror novels of the summer from USA Today Bestselling Author Chuck Tingle.

The first quarter of the book (which is about Hollywood and making movies) I could have been more engaged I guess, but it started out interesting enough. Misha is our main character and he has been a success in Hollywood against all of the odds. He has breathed life into an entertaining series which is officially a long-running streaming series and a success to make the brain child of such a winner quite proud. Hell, it if it were me, I would have been pounding my chest like Tarzan.

But oh, no! The executives at the studio have met and want his boss-man to talk to Misha about the programming for his hit series. He had been working on a character arc for the two main female investigators to realize and accept their romantic feelings for each other for the Season Finale. His boss Jack tells Misha in no uncertain terms if they stay gay, they die in the Finale. If he rewrites the script and the two women remain straight, then no problem. Misha goes verbally ballistic and tells his boss the answer is a flat NO!!!

Misha takes solace with Zeke, his lover of two years, and his best friend Tara, who is in IT. The gist of it is that this book has a lot to unpack and if I chose every important topic that Tingle wrestles to the floor, such as authorship, identity, and certainly AI, a comprehensive book review could take reems of paper and hours of time.

In my opinion the most important theme for me to see manhandled and beaten into submission was how the entertainment industry as a whole has treated queer characters on the screen for as long as I have been able to go to the theater. I started going in the third grade and I was a smart kid.

By the time that Misha and his A-Team have said “No” to the head of management there are some crazy if not lethal complications that have come out to play. Misha in his time at the studios has created some incredibly horrid villains and monsters for the TV series. He and his friends begin to be stalked by said creatures. This whole scenario starts out as unbelievable, quirky, and perhaps set up by the studio to get Misha to cave. However, very quickly I started to think stalkers (but paid stalkers being compensated to wreck Misha’s nerves, not to mention those of his dear friends as well). That said it was not easy to get serious about these fictitious villains, ghosts, aliens, etc.

Then all too quickly the reader is tailing Misha and his small troop in their flight from these aforementioned threats, and here is where that potential spoilers could really come in handy. In fact, so very much that goes down in the last half of the book is so shockingly fresh, including the most gruesome violent torture killing I have ever read that is not labeled extreme horror. It was terrific, but the very best part of this book is the character arc of Misha and some carefully disclosed backstory on the man which prepares you for just how tough this fellow really is, and not just what a painful life he has led, in some part due to his own choice.

I found myself racing from page to page as the novel started to wind down and then there was the penultimate events in the storyline, and I thought “I don’t like this ending at all”. The author then launched into the real finale, and it was worthy of a 007 Thriller.

“Bury Your Gays” has been said to deserve “to be the literary equivalent of a massive summer blockbuster…” This story is as original as you will ever find, and Misha’s journey to self-acceptance is absolutely a tearjerker. You will love his gutsy self-analytical journey as much as I loved it.

BEST BOOK IN THIS GENRE DESIGNATION I HAVE READ ALL YEAR

[cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love lexa from the 100!

^ THIS IS MY PRE-READ REVIEW I'M HOWLINGGG

anyway! this was fun. a bit silly at times, very the cabin in the woods, and sometimes it felt like we were being handheld through the very valid and very real idea that capitalism = bad. it is bad! we don't need to be told it straight multiple times! (although some people might need the reminder).

(naming one of the lesbians carey lexa hurt my heart. i miss my commander)

[Benji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Campy horror about a closeted gay screenwriter being hunted by characters from his horror pieces. I think I had more fun with what this book was saying thematically than the actual execution. It talks about the pain of growing up queer and starving for representation, about having to settle for queerbaiting and bury your gays tropes, the horrors of AI outpacing our ability to control it, and the insincerity of rainbow capitalism. The actual “scary characters” on page were a weak point for me though, they were more goofy than frightening and I never felt like I could take them seriously. The flashbacks to Misha’s childhood were the most impactful part of the story for me and they really showcased Tingle’s ability to capture the fear and vulnerability so many queer kids experience. Tingle’s books are always full of heart and earnestness, I’ll certainly pick up future works by him!

CWs: death, gore, homophobia, bullying, some bug-based body horror, child neglect

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like my brain is deep fried at the moment so I'm going to keep it simple.

I liked the main character and the commentary the author made with the book. The imagery and the vibes were immaculate. There were a few moments that kind of threw me off and that's the main reason this one wasn't a 5 for me but otherwise it was a little treat of a book that really explored its topics instead of just touching on them lightly and I loved it for it.

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Nightfire for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

---

I'm coming to the tragic conclusion that Chuck Tingle's writing and I are not a match made in heaven. I find it extremely heavy-handed and occasionally clunky. In particular, emotional redundancy is a pet peeve of mine. I don't need the themes restated in every chapter. I got it the first time. This sort of repetition - along with little sly references to real life media events (like straight-up naming a lesbian character to-be-killed-off 'Lexa') feel like lazy attempts at satire and theme, masquerading a lack of depth in exploring those same themes.

To be clear, Tingle's message is valuable and one I agree with. It's the execution I take umbrage with.

Actually, no let me give one thematic element the credit it's due, because I think it was actually interesting and added extra dimension. Unfortunately, it was massively spoilery, so behind a cut it goes: Close to the end, after Misha convinces the algorithm that queer joy has value - or at least monetary value, the only kind the algorithm cares about - the landscape changes. Suddenly executives are hawking Pride and greenlighting fluffy queer superhero films with no villains. The coziest of cozies. Amidst all this hand-holding kumbaya, the studio continues to throw creatives under the bus, including a filmmaker making a documentary about queer stars who'd committed suicide. Corporate Pride and toxic positivity reign, and Misha is horrified. I think Tingle was making some fantastic points here, and I wish he'd given them a bit more focus, instead of using them as a catalyst to plunge ahead into an underwhelming ending.

The redundancy also hurts characterization, especially in the case of Zeke, our protagonist's boyfriend. Every so often, Zeke does something heartwarming. If Tingle left it at that, my heart would be warmed. Instead, these actions are followed by Misha gushing about how wonderful his boyfriend is. Every. Damn. Time. With a stronger writer, that kind of doubling down would lead me to believe that Misha is trying to convince himself more than the reader and wonder what's gone wrong with the relationship. However, that's clearly not what Tingle is doing here. The redundancy, mixed with Zeke lacking any character development, renders him a cardboard cutout of a Perfect Boyfriend.

Other issues are not as glaring, but they're still there. Tingle's Hollywood lacks the authentic feel of, say, Mishell Baker's or Taylor Jenkins Reid's. Misha's encounters with the supernatural horrors of his cinematographic past entertained me but failed to scare me in the least, and the revelation of what was going on with them never made it past the gate of me suspending my disbelief. There were a few really odd word choices. I spent several paragraphs wondering what 'divergent eyes' were, before figuring they were staring in opposite directions.

I do want to mention it's not all bad here. I was pleasantly surprised by some of Misha's down to earth human interactions. I liked his friendship with Tara and the scene at the high school reunion where he talks about the value of horror. I actually really liked the flashback with his Uncle Keith. The build-up had me bracing for something poorly handled and melodramatic, but the scene of a child left in the care of an abusive adult hit home. Tingle's portrayal of Keith was nuanced and most importantly specific, taking no shortcuts, and so it managed to be more chilling than anything else in the book.

It was scenes like those that made me waver in my resolve to probably not pick up Tingle's next book. They don't cancel out everything else, but they move the needle nonetheless.

[Elizabeth (Plant Based Bride) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved so many of the ideas explored here from rainbow capitalism, to algorithmic control of creativity, to queer baiting in media, to the value of queer joy. But I think I’m finding, despite repeated attempts on my part, that while I adore Tingle’s premises, I don’t find his execution to my taste. This novel, similar to others of his I’ve read in the past, felt both rushed and drawn out - I often finish them feeling a novella or even a well-paced short story would have been a better format. I also tend to find his style quite heavy-handed and on the nose, which can be effective in getting a message across but can also begin to feel a touch cheesy or prescriptive, not allowing the reader to actively engage with the themes and discover the message for themselves. Ideas are repeated ad nauseam, and while I agree with them, I don’t care for the style. Tingle isn’t subtle in the least, and while that’s completely valid, I’m finding I crave just a little bit of restraint.

Also, the horror elements were not nearly as scary as they could have been, perhaps due to the largely tongue-in-cheek writing style. Despite being quite gory at times and conceptually disturbing, there was a disconnect there for me. A little more atmosphere and, dare I say, gravitas in those moments could have rendered them truly chilling.

As it stands, though, I may have to stop picking up Tingle’s new releases and leave them for the readers who love his style of storytelling!


Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC.



Trigger/Content Warnings: death, torture, blood, violence, stalking, child abuse, homophobia, queer baiting


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[River · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

On a long enough timeline, endings are inevitable.
Tragedy is inevitable.
Fortunately, so is joy.

This was amazing! I enjoyed literally every moment, even the ones where I could feel my heart in my mouth. This was just so good, I don't even know where to start.
I loved the bordering-satirical, terrifying-in-its-absurdity tone of this book. I adored how meta it was, it's a book about horror and the tropes and themes of that genre, and it does an expert job of exploring them with nuance and fascination.

Our main character, Misha, is the writer of a show that instantly brings to mind X-Files and Supernatural and Buffy, and I loved seeing those influences in this depiction. Misha is given an ultimatum by the suits who run the studio; either don't make the two lead characters of his show gay, or make them gay and kill them off because 'queer tragedy sells'. Misha doesn't want to do either of these things, he's actually pretty pissed at being forced to choose between these two options. But what if fighting for a happy ending will cost him everything?

I don't want to give anything away because part of the excitement is slowly discovering what the hell is going on, it makes the book unputdownable, but I am dying to talk to someone about how absolutely genius this book is! It's the perfect story for me that I didn't even know I wanted!
I adored seeing the battle Misha had to fight to find his way out of a horror story of his own creation, I adored how meta and insightful it was. It's blatantly clear how well-versed Tingle is in horror tropes and themes, I adored all the in-world horror movies and villains he constructed, the villains of Misha's stories were full of so much intrigue and—for all their horror—vibrant life. They were so creative and so essential to the story Tingle wanted to tell.

And while tragedies are important stories to tell, our appetite can be satiated with more than just suffering.

I loved how crucial queerness was in so many aspects of this story. I adore queer horror, I think it is so necessary and speaks to such nuanced pain and forced concealment and painted-upon villainy, but I love the fact that queerness was able to play an important part in many other subsequent themes. It introduced a lot of complexity to Misha as a character that not only delved into his shame but also his acceptance, without demanding from him trauma. We were also able to explore queer joy and queer friendship and the importance stories like these hold. Queer people deserve more than just one type of story. I adored how intelligently Tingle handled this, in his skilled writing we were able to see the capitalistic greed of corporations above all else. Whether homophobic or pinkwashed, corporations prioritised money above everything.

This takes me neatly to the crux of the story: corporations are not your friends and they do not care about your art or your joy or your lives! So true, Chuck Tingle (he says it in a much more eloquent and slightly more subtle way), so true! There is theme after theme after theme packed into this rather short novel and I adored that about it because it handles each one with cleverness and wit and rage. It's a book that has so much to say and never fumbles the point. There is so much to discover in this story and I know it's one that will stay with me for a very long time, I don't imagine I'll ever stop thinking about it or that it'll ever not be relevant.

"Your stories aren't worth your life."
My stories are my life.

Do yourself a favour and pick up this book! I am so excited to read Camp Damascus and any other horror novels Chuck Tingle bestows upon us! I have been converted, I am a true Tingler (I have no idea if I just made that up or if that is potentially what Chuck Tingle fans already call themselves, but if they don't they absolutely should)!

I will not be able to look at any worm-shaped creature for a very long time! (Tingle writes incredible gore and body horror, I'm as in awe of it as I am disgusted by it! But, oh my goodness, check the trigger warnings if either of those things affect you!) Also, point zero zero three one six two will haunt me just as badly as the worm, now that is horror!
What a fun, terrifying, powerful and phenomenal book!

Thank you so much Titan Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review. If you couldn't tell, I loved it!

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part horror, part science fiction, part hilarious satirical excoriation of Hollywood, Chuck Tingle's latest novel, "Bury Your Gays", is an equally intelligent and heart-felt examination of Queer Life in the U.S.

The title, in case you were wondering, is in reference to the historical utilization of LGBTQ+ characters in movies and TV to be expendable. Gay characters have always, historically, been portrayed---if at all---as ridiculous comic relief and/or victims of a tragic downfall. This was by design. Hollywood screenwriters were often told to "bury your gays" in their scripts: i.e. kill them off or leave them out entirely.

Arguably, things have improved somewhat in Hollywood, but, as Tingle insinuates, there's still a long way to go.

His protagonist, Misha Byrne, is an up-and-coming screenwriter with a popular TV show that has gained a following and is entering its third season. He has also been nominated for an Oscar in the Live Action Short Film category. Things are going well for him.

Then, one day he is called into the exec's office and told to drastically rewrite the season finale of his hit show or be terminated. The rewrite, according to the exec, is based on data derived from an algorithm which is used to determine the highest ratings. On the same day, Misha is witness to a horrifying death of a well-known executive. Then, during the next several days, he has strange encounters with "characters" from some of his early horror films. He thinks they are just uber-fans in cosplay, but he soon learns to his horror that they are real. And out for blood.

Also, it should be known that Misha is gay. He's in a great relationship with a man named Zeke, but he's not completely "out" yet. There are different levels of "out" in Hollywood. There are totally "out" people, and then there is the Tom Cruise level, where everybody knows he's gay but he refuses to acknowledge it. Misha is somewhere in the middle.

Something really weird and deadly is going on in Hollywood, and Misha is right in the middle of it. But he refuses to be just another Hollywood "buried gay" protagonist in his own life story.

Another great gay horror-comedy from Tingle, who is quickly becoming a prominent name within the horror field.

[Elle_bow 🩷 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was WILD! I loved it so much! It was such a pleasure to read and really kept me on my toes, even when I had an idea where the story was going I was still surprised.

I loved all the characters (especially Tara) and how nothing is really finished up until the very end, like the story is still strong until the very last chapter.

I heard a lot about this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who’s curious!

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody brilliant! I loved this one.

Bury Your Gays is a book that you will want to discuss with others! The build up with the plot and what’s happening with our main character is fantastic and unsettling.

Try going into this one with limited knowledge of the plot and characters.

It has excellent horror details, good representation of LGBTQ topics, and interesting ideas of sci-fi and technology concepts!

I definitely recommend to fans of horror, sci-fi, and tales where reality blends with fiction!

[Jan Agaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

the audiobook? 5 stars. commentary on horror as a genre and queer joy? also 5 stars. plot and pacing is what brought it down to 3 stars for me unfortunately. I preferred Camp Damascus, but I did enjoy the mentions of Camp Damascus in this book. I fully believe I'll have a 5-star Chuck Tingle book one day, but the hollywood setting is not for me

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - If "Camp Damascus" left me with an impression of earnestness blended with body horror, "Bury Your Gays" is pure camp. I honestly think this would be an amazing book to screen adaptation (perhaps ironically given the setting?) and the writing felt very cinematic in a positive way. I think the pacing was off for me - I can always do without a flashback - so I'm not sure I liked this quite as much as the last one. But this definitely shows that His Royal Chuckness has plenty of ideas left in this genre. I look forward to more!

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to get an early copy of this newest Chuck Tingle novel, I finished this gem of a book in a little less than 24 hours, though I could have burned through it in half the time had life not gotten in the way, pesky things like needing to eat and sleep. I cannot stress enough how delightful, moving, and readable this book was. From the very first scene I was firmly hooked and could hardly rest or put it down until I read the whole thing.

The basic premise of Bury Your Gays is that a successful screenwriter, Misha, is told by studio executives to kill off the stars of his show right after they finally express their long simmering love for each other. He refuses and afterwards is stalked and attacked by movie monsters from his own filmography. The story builds tension and parcels out context and clues carefully, making for an increasingly tense, frightening tale where the stakes so much higher than just one man’s life.

This book is doing a lot, not only is it by turns genuinely funny, utterly horrific, and deeply moving, it also grapples with issues as varied as AI in art, trauma and representation in media, and corporate pride ™ in a refreshingly acute and lucid way. All of these elements are perfectly balanced, working in concert to push the whole narrative forward, rather than drowning out the other themes or hampering the flow of the novel. Believe me when I tell you that, Bury Your Gays does not miss a beat, not once.

This novel was a triumph, I can hardly think of many books that try to do so much and succeed so adeptly. In addition to being a compulsive joy to read, Bury Your Gays represents the creative apotheosis of a genuinely talented and authentic queer voice in fiction. If Chuck Tingle’s previous, “mainstream” titles like Straight and Camp Damascus, weren’t enough to clue people in that the man behind the pink mask is a powerful and talented writer with a unique and arresting vision of queer horror, Bury Your Gays should be a shot across the bow and a wakeup call.

Do yourself a favor and see what all the hype is about, Bury Your Gays is a memorable, thrilling read, quite unlike anything else you’re likely to pick up this year.

[Alright Hey (Matt) · Rating 5 out of 5]

so perfect I can’t fault it. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

This lil gay horror involved the story of Misha, a writer in Hollywood whose boss is trying to get him to “bury your gays” - film talk for killing off your LGBTQIA+ characters.

Soon, the villains and monsters he’s written about in the past appear in his real life and try to kill him. I didn’t think I’d love the concept as much as I did. It’s very sci-fi, which I don’t love, but it didn’t bother me this time around.

There was so much depth to the main character which I loved, I feel like there was no stone left unturned. The way the story embraces so much of the queer experience whilst keeping it entertaining, interesting and fast paced was a real thrill.

It was also cool to learn about the term “bury your gays” which I’d never heard before. Not sure if it’s actually a term used in Hollywood but it feels like it could be.

I LOVED THIS. Not a must read, but can definitely recommend if you’re interested in a gay sci-fi/horror set in Hollywood.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

December 2024: Just as good the second time, although I do think I prefer the audio version—it's just so fun! But I definitely caught more details doing the hard copy. I annotated the shit out of it.

July 2024:

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.

The ending pushed this one over the edge for me. But so much about this book is five-star worthy: great characters, horror concepts that genuinely made me uncomfortable, a slew of subtle references to things that I love, amazing queer representation, smart dialogue, and a killer understanding of story. I knew Chuck Tingle had a five-star book in him, it just wasn't Camp Damascus for me, it was this.

Summerween 2024

[The Belladonna · Rating 3 out of 5]

“On a long enough timeline, endings are inevitable. Tragedy is inevitable. Fortunately, so is joy.”

Pen name: Dr. Chuck Tingle.
He calls his books “Tinglers” and is primarily known for his gay erotica. The titles for these books are…. 🤣 Weeeee! He maintains his anonymity by wearing sunglasses over a pink sack on his head, which has "love is real" written on it in black marker. I’ve seen his books floating around Goodreads and knew I’d have to take one out for a test spin. There’s no denying the man has flair. I landed on Bury Your Gays as my first Tingle read to kick off 🏳️‍🌈 Pride month. It turned out to be such a fitting choice!

[kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this audiobook is so fun!! It’s full cast narration but it’s not just any full cast narration… It’s primarily narrated by André Santana (who does a phenomenal job) and features many others, including some well known names if you’re a horror lover. Features by: Charlie Jane Anders, CJ Leede, Georgia Bird, Liz Kerin, Mara Wilson, Mark Oshiro, Sarah Gailey, Stephen Graham Jones, T.Kingfisher, and TJ Klune. CHEFS KISS! How could I not recommend that?

Ok, the story. Hollywood screenwriter Misha Burn has just been nominated for his first Oscar but his producer suggests that, well… he bury the gays, kill them off. He is told to rewrite the script or someone else will do it for him. If he doesn't obey, he will be blacklisted from Hollywood. Misha grows defiant, seething, and is reeling over what to do when his work begins to—literally—haunt him.

Let’s talk about Misha. I found his character to be incredibly captivating and compelling. As I listened through this novel, I found myself questioning his motives at times but because Tingle chose to include flashbacks to Misha’s childhood, I wasn’t left questioning for long. Instead I grew to understand Misha in a much deeper way and felt that he was justified in his actions and I could appreciate why he felt so passionately about the projects that he worked on.

This is my first Chuck Tingle experience and this made me an instant fan of his horror. As the title suggests, this novel focuses on queer erasure and shines the light on the ruthless and greedy nature of Hollywood’s biggest and brightest industry—the film industry. The plot was incredibly engaging, unique, and refreshing and I loved following Misha’s character arc. This book is entertaining as hell, laugh out loud funny while staying true to horror roots, and intensely stimulating. And, of course, as a Los Angeles resident I particularly enjoyed the setting. Plus the cover is just so pretty.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Available 07/09/2024!

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck Tingle is back with another horror novel! And while it's a tonal shift from Camp Damascus, it definitely did not disappoint. Bury Your Gays is incredibly entertaining and campy. But it also has something to say about relevant issues in Hollywood, including (but not limited to) the treatment of gay character in film and television, and the controversial rise of AI.

I feel like it's best to go into this without knowing too much, but it follows a semi-closeted screen writer who has seen some success with queer horror and other films. But now, the studio wants him to change a script and kill off queer characters. Then things start to get weird...

I did not expect where this book ended up going, but I thought it was both smart and entertaining. And a good place to dip your toes into the genre if horror makes you nervous, because most of it isn't TOO scary. Except maybe in an existential sort of way. I definitely didn't find it as emotionally intense as Camp Damascus. It is quite a ride though and I enjoyed the genre blending. Give it a try! The audio narration is really great, produced with some sound effects and fun cameos from queer authors. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Greekchoir · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had more thoughts about Bury Your Gays when I was halfway through it. Chuck Tingle continues to prove that his experience in writing punchy novellas translates to brisk, tightly-plotted novels. This is a more experimental story than Camp Damascus, and the flashbacks and brief interludes are just enough to keep things interesting without distracting from the main story. Good balance of campy and spooky! Queer-O's made me laugh.

Tingle has discussed how Bury Your Gays is a much more personal and capital-I Important book, which means that at several moments the characters turn to deliver direct monologues about the importance of representation, the meaning of horror, etc. It's not that these themes need to be toned down, but this is the same author who wrote Bigfoot Pirates Haunt My Balls. I think we can be trusted off the leash a little bit.

Please note that I work for Macmillan but opinions are my own. I am not involved in book production.

[Benny the Bookboy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately a huge disappointment.

Bury Your Gays caught my attention as what seemed like a refreshingly creative horror novel with an important message to tell. That initial eagerness died down quickly however... because I realized that the execution of the central idea left much to be desired.

For the most part, the plot seems too fast-paced to me, it feels like we're jumping from scene to scene, plot point to plot point merely brushing over deeper emotions and themes. It also felt like we were following a blueprint for the three act structure which made the story very predictable. Given all the meta jokes about the genre of horror and Hollywood I wish we would have seen more subversion of common rules and norms of storytelling. All we get, however, is an attempt at appearing self-aware without any attempts at innovation.

The protagonist was annoying with a very forced "f-off" attitude, his inner monologue and literary voice incredibly repetitive, the trauma we're shown was very well told in separate flashbacks, however back in the present all we get are occasional, brief references to the trauma that are checked off a list without any authentic exploration of what these kinds of things can do to a human being. I genuinely think this was a missed opportunity, because the flashbacks on their own were more terrifying than all the traditional horror monsters the protagonist is facing throughout the novel. I wish Chuck Tingles had ventured deeper into the darkness of the protagonist's past and it's implications for the plot in the present. What we got instead was not enough.

Zeke and Tara, the only two notable side characters were lackluster, Zeke is a Mary Sue at heart and we're constantly TOLD how perfect of a boyfriend he is without it being SHOWN. Tara's even worse, her entire personality is dressing flamboyantly, saying "baby" and being obsessed with technology. The conversations between the three were formulaic, chunky and awkward and it was impossible to actually connect to any of them which usually means I'd give this story 1/5 stars. Without the characters, what's left...

A few positive points saving this novel from being an utter catastrophe.

I have to give this novel credit for at least trying to give characters with little representation in Horror a voice, for shedding a light on the trauma people in the LGBTQ+ community may deal with regarding their past and coming out and for poking a little fun at modern Hollywood. Some of the flashbacks were very moving, some of the jokes actually made me smile, and well, I appreciate that.

But unfortunately there's not much beyond that.